Level 1 Practice Exam Questions And

SSPC Protective Coatings Inspector (PCI) Level 1 Practice Exam Questions And Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant Download Pdf

• What is the primary purpose of surface preparation before coating

application?

• Improve coating color
• Reduce curing time
• Remove contaminants and create a suitable profile
• Increase coating gloss

Rationale: Proper surface preparation is required to remove contaminants

and establish an anchor profile for coating adhesion.

• Which standard is commonly used to assess visible cleanliness of steel

surfaces? 1 / 4

A. SSPC-PA 1

B. SSPC-SP 1

C. SSPC-PA 2

D. SSPC-SP 5

Rationale: SSPC-SP 1 addresses solvent cleaning for removing visible oil,

grease, and contaminants.

• What is the main objective of using abrasive blasting?
• Increase coating thickness
• Achieve cleanliness and surface profile
• Reduce environmental humidity
• Speed up curing

Rationale: Abrasive blasting removes contaminants and creates the

required surface profile for coating adhesion.

• Which instrument is used to verify ambient conditions prior to coating?
• Dry film thickness gauge
• Psychrometer
• Centrifugal blast wheel
• Wet film comb

Rationale: A psychrometer measures dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures

to determine dew point.

• What does DFT refer to in coating inspection? 2 / 4

• Diluted Film Thickness
• Dry Film Thickness
• Double Film Thickness
• Dense Film Treatment

Rationale: DFT is the cured coating thickness after solvent evaporation.

• Which SSPC standard describes Near-White blast cleaning?

A. SSPC-SP 2

B. SSPC-SP 3

C. SSPC-SP 10

D. SSPC-SP 11

Rationale: SSPC-SP 10 specifies Near-White blast cleaning requirements.

• What is the purpose of a holiday detector?
• Measure DFT
• Locate discontinuities in coatings
• Determine curing rate
• Evaluate gloss

Rationale: Holiday detectors identify pinholes or voids in non-conductive

coatings.

• Which factor most affects dew point?
• Barometric pressure
• Relative humidity
• Wind speed 3 / 4

• Coating viscosity

Rationale: Dew point is strongly influenced by relative humidity levels.

• Which method is used to measure surface profile height?
• Gloss meter
• DFT gauge
• Replica tape
• Psychrometer

Rationale: Replica tape produces a measurable impression of the surface

profile.

• What is the primary concern when coating over a surface below dew

point?

• Increased viscosity
• Condensation leading to adhesion failure
• Excessive gloss
• Rapid curing

Rationale: Moisture condensation prevents proper coating adhesion.

• What is SSPC-SP 2?
• Power tool cleaning
• Hand tool cleaning
• Waterjetting
• / 4